Fish tenderloining machine



July 6, 1937. A. L. DUNN I FISH TENDERLOINING MACHINE Filed May 2911935-3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

LOU/7n I TrgRz ff.

A. LLDUNN FISH TENDERLOINING MACHINE July 6, 1937.

Fil ed May 29, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; I 4/20 ATTORNEY.

July 6, 1937. A. L. DUNN FISH TENDERLOINING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed May 29, 1935 'INVENTOR.

A/zon L Dun/7 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,086,070 FISH TENDERLOINING'MAGHINE Alton L. Dunn, Benicia, Calii'l, assignor to Benicia Fisheries,Benicia, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 29, 1935,.Serial No. 24,018

6 Claims.

My invention relates to means for cutting fish of the pilchard type intoportions which are to be further processed or canned, and into otherportions which are to he difierently treated.

More particularly, my invention relates to means for dealing with fishof the pilchard family which are approximately eight to twelve inches inlengthand which are in part very desirable for table use and in partless desirable for human consumption. The head, tail and belly portionsare preferably not utilized, whereas the remaining part of the fish(referred to herein asthe tenderloin) is especially esteemed as adelicacy.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine for automaticallycutting to a predetermined size successive fish in a run in order toprovide edible portions of uniform size.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine for cutting froma fish all portions which are not desirable for human consumption.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine for receiving andholding a fish securely While it is being cut into portions ofpredetermined size.

A further object of my invention is to insure removal of undesiredportions of fish, even with fish of somewhat different size.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is across-section on a vertical, longitudinal plane of a fish tenderloiningmachine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1, portions ofthe conveyor being removed and portions of the fish feeding trough beingomitted.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the discharge end of the machine, portionsof the conveyor chain being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine, portions of the conveyor being removed.v Fig. 5 is a detail showing toan enlarged scale a portion of theconveyor chain, one of the blocks being disclosed in cross-section. I

'Fig. 6 is for the most part a cross-section the plane of which isindicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. V

In its preferred form the fish tenderloining machine of my inventionincludes a plurality of knives arranged to cut a rectangular portionfrom a fish, together with means acting to receive a fish and to gripthe fish for severance of the 55 undesired portions therefrom andsubsequently to release the gripped portion of the fish from themechanism.

Although the device of my invention is susceptible to use in variousdifferent environments, it is particularly useful in conjunction withproviding arelatively standard size product from successive fish of thepilchard or mackerel type; Such fish, after being received at thecannery, are floated in water in a trough 6 which leads from the sourceto a battery of machines of the type disclosed herein. -At or adjacentto each machine there is ,a tank 1, into which some of the fish c'anbediverted by opening a gate '8, while a drain pipe 9 serves as ameansfor discharging water and dbris from such tank.

Arranged alongside of the feed tank 1 is the machine of my invention,which incorporates a framework, generally designated ll, constructed ofsuitable structural shapes. This framework is provided at one end with across-shaft i2- mounted injournals l3 and M for'ready rotation, andcarrying adjacent its center a sprocket It. In line with such sprocket,but at the opposite end of the machine, is a comparable sprocket I!which is mounted upon a cross-shaft l8 journaled in bearings l9 and 2!secured to the framework H. Trained around the sprockets l6 and I! is aconveyor chain 22 made up of a plurality of individual, identical links23.

The chain and, correspondingly, the two sprockets I6 and I l are drivenand advanced by rotation of the shaft it from a source of power (notshown). The drive is from a belt 24, for instance, to a pulley 25carrying one member 21 of a dog clutch; the other member 28 of which isshiftable by means of a shift. mechanism 29 to engage'or release themachine from the source of power. When engaged, the clutch is eifectiveto transmit power to a shaft 3! carried in journals 32 and 33 ontheframework ii and provided with a pinion 4O .34 meshing with a gear 36at the extremity of the shaft 18, so that the conveyor chain 22 ispropelled. r I

In order to receive and grip the fish for further operation, Ipreferably provideon the conveyor chain 22 jaw means for contacting witheach individual fish. Preferably, eachof the links 23 is fastened bymeans of a pair of bolts 31 to a cross-plate 38 having extensions 39 andit thereon and adjacent its central portion given the form of a block 42of approximately the contour and outline of the portion of the fishwhich is to be severed and retained. This portion is indicated in Fig. 6by the dotted line .43, the fish portion within such dotted linebeingftermed the tenderloin. The head portion 44, the belly portion 46and the tail portion 41 are not retained by the gripping structure andare treated otherwise than the tenderloin. Each of the blocks 42 on itsopposite longitudinal edges is formed with somewhat tapered concavities4B and 49. The concavities or jaws on adjacent blocks co-operate to forma cradle or receptacle approximating the external contour of a fish andare especially adapted to receive and contact a fish placed therein.

In order that the operators taking fish from the trough T will have nodifficulty in properly positioning the fish in the jaws formed by thesuccessive blocks 42, I provide on the framework ll means for spreadingor separating the blocks with respect to each other and in effectopening the gripping jaws 48 and 49. This means in the present instancetakes the form of a pair of guide rails 51 and 52, given the form of anogee curve having a convex portion 53 spaced from the framework by achannel 54, and a concave portion 56 which is disposed adjacent themiddle portion of the framework. The guides 6i and 52 underlie theextensions 39 and 4 I, so that the upper run of the conveyor does notassume a rectilinear path but rather follows a sinuous, undulatory path,as shown in Fig. 1.

At the convex portion 53 of the curve, the jaws 48 and 49 of thesuccessive blocks are spread apart so that an operator can place fishfrom the tank I with their heads in either direction but preferably toconform to the taper of the blocks and with their bellies up and restingwith their back or tenderloin portions between the jaws 48 and 49. Then,as the conveyor advances to the concave portion 56 of the ogee curve,the blocks approach each other more closely and the fish are gripped,although not so tightly as to injure the flesh thereof. Adjacent thisportion of the travel of the conveyor additional guides 51 and 58 areprovided, to preclude buckling or other undesired movement of the blocks42.

Since, after passing the receiving station adjacent the convex portion53, the fish are gripped properly in location so that the tenderloinportions thereof are contacted, the fish are ready for the severingoperation, which preferably takes place at a cutting station adjacentthe concave portion 56.

At such station the framework is provided with an upright superstructureBl of the customary structural shapes, on which is mounted a crossshaft62 carried by journals 63 and 64, respectively. Adjacent the centralportion of the shaft, a changeable spacer 65 predetermines the distancebetween a pair of circular cutting knives 66 and 61, respectively, whichare arranged to override the ends of the blocks 42 by a small amount sothat somewhat of a shearing action can take place therebetween. Theknives are preferably driven at a relatively high rate of speed by meansof a drive connection from a small sprocket 68 on the cross-shaft 62,which is connected by a chain 69 to a relatively large sprocket 16' onthe main drive shaft 3i. As the fish progress in their gripped conditionthrough the cutting station, the head portion 44 and the tail portion4'! are severed by the knives 66 and 61, respectively.

But, in addition, I provide in accordance with my invention means forsevering the belly portion 46 by a out which is substantially at rightangles to the cut made by the knives 66 and 61, so that the three cutstogether form a polygonal, channellike figure. That is to say, there issuspended over the upper surface of the successive blocks 42 l3 and i4-on a plate 16.

a circular cutting knife H which is arranged to have a shearing actionwith the upper surface of the blocks 42 in order to cut the bellyportion 46 from the remainder of the fish. This knife is carried on avertical shaft 12 mounted in journals The plate 16 is movable verticallyon its mounting by means of elongated apertures ll through whichfastenings 18 extend to the frame 6!. By suitably loosening thefastenings and adjusting the plate 76, the height of the knife H can bevaried.

In order to drive the knife H, the shaft 12 at its upper end carries arelatively small friction wheel 79 which engages frictionally a drivedisc 80 mounted on a shaft 8| journaled in bearings 82 and 83 on theframe 6 l. The drive disc 80 is preferably keyed, as at 84, to the driveshaft 8|, so that it is axially movable thereon into and out ofengagement with the wheel 19. To provide a resilient engagement there isa thrust bearing 85 mounted against the journal 82 and between which andthe disc 80 a spring 86 is interposed. Thus, any requisite amount ofpressure is imposed upon the friction drive. The shaft '8] is driven bya sprocket Bl mounted at one extremity thereof and connected by a chain8 to a drive sprocnet 89 on the shaft 62.

After the fish have passed between the knives 66 and. 61 and have hadtheir heads and tails severed thereby (which heads and tails fall uponthe extensions 39 and 4!, respectively), they come to the rapidlyrevolving horizontal knife "H which severs the belly portions 46 andwhich, due to the direction of its rotation, carries the belly portionsover until they fall upon the extensions 39. Further movement of theconveyor causes the links 23 to round the sprocket ll, during whichmovement the successive blocks 42 are spaced far apartcircumferentially, thereby releasing the previously gripped tenderloinportion to fall into a chute 9| which extends to a suitable receivingreceptacle 92. At the same time the extension 39 discharges its burdeninto a chute 93, and the extension 4| discharges its burden into achute'94, both chutes in turn releasing the material into a hopper 96giving onto a spiral conveyor 91 for carrying this material to a pointof subsequent treatment.

I claim:

1. A fish tenderloining machine comprising a frame, a plurality ofcutting knives arranged on said frame to define a polygonal figure, andmeans on said frame for receiving a fish, carrying said fish to be cutby said knives, gripping said fish against displacement by said knives,and releasing said cut fish. V

2. A fish tenderloining machine comprising a frame, a plurality ofrotatable cutting knives arranged on said frame to define a polygonalfigure, means for rotating said knives, and means on said frame forinitially gripping a fish to be cut 7 by said knives and holding saidfish against displacement by said knives and finally releasing saidfish; r

3. A fishtenderloining machine comprising a frame, sprockets on saidframe, a conveyor chain trained around said sprockets to provide anupper run and a lower run, means on said frame for guiding said upperrun in the path of an ogee curve, fish-gripping jaws projecting upwardlyfrom the upper run of said conveyor, and cutting knives on saidframelocated adjacent the concave portion of said ogee curve.

4. A fish tenderloining machine comprising a frame, a chain, means onsaid frame for guiding said chain in a path a portion of which is anogee curve, and blocks on adjacent links of adapted to be moved towardand away from each other as said chain moves through said concave curveand said convex curve.

r 6, A fish tenderloining machine comprising a conveyor, a pair offish-holding 'blocks on said conveyor, and means for cutting thebellyi'rom a fish held in said blocks and depositing said 7 belly uponsaid conveyor.

ALTON L. DUNN.

